


Whatever He Needs

by PacketofRedApples



Category: Se7en (1995)
Genre: Gen or Pre-Slash, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, aftermath fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 03:03:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9859241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PacketofRedApples/pseuds/PacketofRedApples
Summary: The aftermath of the incidents in the movie Se7en (1995)





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is super personal... and mostly written because I needed an aftermath for the movie and nobody had really written one in depth.
> 
> EDIT: FEBRUARY 2ND, 2018: Added a scene and other minor tweaks.

At first, he thought how lucky Mills had to be to have landed in a crisis stabilization unit of a psychiatric hospital rather than a jail, but once he manages to come to visit him he comes to realize the meds they have the younger man on leave him shaking. Even in his sleep. Slight noises coming out of him, almost made him assume the other was awake.  And it’s a frightful sight, may it not haunt him like Tracy’s decapitated head, but it well enough left its own mark.  With every effort he could, he visited David as often as possible, just to make sure the doctors weren’t treating him poorly. A few weeks later they sent him to a long term care facility until he became…better.  Perhaps it was foolish to even anticipate a full recovery, but Somerset hoped the best for the other. 

Within some time of the visits, they stopped completely drugging out David. Maybe the complaints William shared had something to do with it—sure, he might not have known a lot about helping somebody in such state, but seeing him constantly asleep was wearing down the older man. And it was refreshing to walk in one Saturday to discover Mills sitting on the edge of the bed, eyes half lidded and pupils dilated. The passion and love and even wrath that was once there, all missing now. He was an empty shell of a man. But William wanted to believe that with an effort he could rebuild his life. This was the first step.

He only knew him for a week before the incident, but something made him care deeply for David.

 “Somerset!” He called out once he finally noticed him, perhaps ever so slightly confused as to why the other detective was here… At least as Mills was suspended until further notice.  He also smiled, but it was clear it just wasn’t really him—most likely the drugs.

“Hello, David.” He muttered back, moving to sit down next to the other. With some hesitance, he finally inquired, “How are you feeling?”

“Feels like I should be asking you that… I didn’t expect you to come and see me.” Ah, it appears he didn’t know about his previous visits.

“Yes, well, I wanted to be sure you’re all right.”

“I’m… okay.” David’s voice is weak. Like, he doesn’t really want to say this…  But all William can do is looks sympathetically at him.  Seems his own vocal abilities were betraying him now. However, there came a desire to put his hand on the younger’s shoulder in a gesture, but he dismissed it. The last thing he needed was somebody to treat him with pity. David seemed to be thankful for the lack of such behavior. “Just, often cold.” He laughs then, trying to distract from the mood.  

They spend the rest of the hour in relative silence, interrupted by the occasional exchange of words between the two men. The older leaves, feeling better about this visit than the previous ones.  At least this time he actually managed to talk to him. Even if he still didn’t know what to say. Not to imply there would be a magical set of words to just make David feel better all of a sudden. Hell, he was probably never going to feel better about his dead wife. But maybe he could feel more at peace with it.

The next visit after that, Somerset brings Mills a sweater. It’s a cardigan. And David genuinely laughs at it, once he sees it, but moments later he gives the older man a smile, thanking him for actually bothering.

The visits continue as seasons come and go and it feels like forever passes, but it’s only two years. Eventually, the day arrives when Mills’ good behavior is good enough for him to get deinstitutionalized. They at least believe he’s better at least or the government just doesn’t want for him to ride on their back for the rest of his life, so to say. It might have to do with the scare plaguing the country.

As it might become obvious, Somerset is there on his release day to pick him up. Well, David had nobody else.

Mills remains quiet through the exit, signing where he needs to and listening to the doctor’s instructions on what medication he is supposed to be taking and when. William listens in on this, however, pretending not to. Spare the discomfort.

Once they walk out of the hospital, the now ex-patient sighs.

“I never wanted a cigarette so bad in my life.” He says, stretching slightly as they make their way to the detective’s car. Somerset only chuckles at that.

Strangely, in the car David quiets down again and they drive for a good amount of time before he clears his throat and speaks up, with incredible caution.

“I… want to see her grave.”

He has to look over at him, making sure David knows what he’s asking for. Their eyes meet.

“Are you sure?” Somerset replies, taking a turn.

“Yes, I’m fucking sure.”

“Fine…”

At the grave they stand side by side, not much distance between them. Maybe unknowingly, David holds on to the other’s coat lightly like the sobs coming from him. Snow falls relentlessly and the wind picks up, so perhaps it isn’t that noticeable.  

Here lied every remain of his normal life. Everything before he became the broken man he is today. Everything that could have been… His unborn child and his wife. Sometimes David wonders, if he had known about the kid, would anything have played out differently? Probably not; probably would have left his bullets in John Doe sooner than later. Wrath consumed him and that was unavoidable. Wrath was his sin. He had come to accept that.

Somerset watches the other’s form, in the rare moment of David’s weakness, something tugging at his heart. This time the urge to comfort the other is overwhelming, so he moves in carefully, placing a hand on the other. He’s not sure if doing this was okay. He didn’t feel very right about it, to begin with. David’s stillness certainly made it awkward.

Suddenly, the other pushes him away quickly, raged expression on his features.

“Get off me, you fag!”

Shit. Somerset was all he had now.  Why did he do that?

It’s hard to let another man near yourself and just feel comfortable about it, right? Yeah.

That had to be it. Always been like that…

Somerset just sighs, looking pleadingly at the younger.

“Sorry.” David then says, turning away and walking back to the car. He still needed time.

They return to the Mills’ residence, abandoned now and still covered in police tape. The saving grace was that the cleanup crew was through with the crime scene. The apartment is covered in dust, and the dogs taken away by animal control. Seeing as neither owner could be there to take care of them and the older couldn’t quite manage to get in between of it. They’re probably euthanized or adopted by now.

“Perhaps, you should get your things, David. I don’t think you spending time here is a good idea, yet.” Somerset offers and the other nods... He doesn’t know why, but he agrees. As much as he needs time alone to think, he fears it as well.

In a bit of time they arrive at the detective’s home, Mills enters like he just landed on a different planet. Somehow it was exactly what he had imagined, yet it felt so frightful and unfamiliar.

“I guess the couch is mine?” Mills says, a light forced smile on his face.

“Actually, I was thinking the other way around.” Somerset corrects him, taking things out of his suit and nearly placing them on the counter.

“I couldn’t possibly take your bed, man. That’d be… weird.” The younger twist his head slightly as he explains this.

“Trust me, David, it’ll be fine. “ Somerset counters and this time it’s enough to make the other sigh and nod his head. He didn’t have an argument in him. Not really.

Somerset finishes his task. Every item lying neatly on the table, all lined up perfectly. There was still so much self-control in this man despite all he lost. But suppose the pain he experienced wasn’t remotely close to what David had gone through. He shouldn’t even allow himself to think he lost anything. What he had experienced was short lived infatuation, not anything real or tangible. Mills’ suffering was heaps more important than his own.

With that in mind Somerset moved through the apartment and got the scissors from one of the drawers in the kitchen. David watches him, curious. William approaches the younger man and takes his hand, ignoring the other’s flinching and attempt to pull back his arm. With one snip, he cuts off the hospital bracelet and it falls to the floor.

Guess, in an odd form, he is able now to be free to choose healing.

Nights go by same as always, passing in monotone, as long as David remembers to take his meds. In occasions that he forgets or decides he doesn’t need them, there are many symptoms that resurface over time. Primarily, it’s the nightmares that come back. The inability to fall asleep comes back too. More often than not he awakes screaming and lies around till morning, exhausting himself.

The first time this happens, the sobs awake William. Shocking him, he runs up to David, taking both his shoulders and shaking hard.

“David, wake up. David. It’s all right.” What a lie that is… Nothing was ever going to return to normal.

Mills wakes up, sweating hard. He looks around, at first lost where he was and whose voice it was, but once he lays his eyes on Somerset he breathes easier. He mutters an apology, without really breaking eye contact. As if he has a question he is trying to ask, but his voice is giving out on him to actually ask it.

“Could you stay with me… just a little longer?” He finally forces out, just above a whisper.

“Of course.”

The sun rises and Somerset leaves after making sure the other eats and takes his meds.

“You’re treating me like a god damn child.” David protests. This only puts a smile on William’s face. Hell, he even ruffles his hair for effect. 

However, he remembers this morning particularly well, because when he returns home, what he discover is silence and the lack of presence. His mind races at the possibilities of where the other is until he hears water start running in the bathroom, followed by a very David like sounding hiss. He inches slowly towards the source of the noises.

What he comes to find there is a Mills, sitting with his arm under the tap as he runs water atop of a bleeding wound.

“It- uh, it was an accident.” The younger explains as he stops the water to look at the cut. “I was going to shave but then I dropped the razor. While trying to catch it, I cut myself.” He honestly thought this was going to be enough to make Somerset believe it?

William sighs, moving in closer and taking a towel of the rack to clean off the blood. It reveals a clean cut.

“Next time, think of a more convincing lie.” Scolding and stern. Not the kind of voice he wishes he had adopted for this, but it is what it is. After all, he is irritated and hurt that the other would dare to do this. Especially in the other’s home.

Thankfully, the cut isn’t deep enough to go to the hospital to stich up and soon it stops bleeding altogether. With the help of some trusty Band-Aids, it’s covered up completely.

“What made you do this, David?” This inquiry is filled with anger. Admittedly, even if he won’t say it out loud, this scared him. He didn’t want to lose David. He wanted to see him get better.

“You wouldn’t understand…” Is all the other offers in response and quite honestly it’s pathetic.

“You’re right, I don’t understand.”

“It’s just—it’s hard to go on, knowing that she got taken away from me. And you know what? Sometimes I wish he had just killed me rather than even laying a finger on her. But no matter what I can’t undo this so now I’m stuck in this fucking nightmare.” David says as he slowly begins to weep. Somerset sighs and hugs him, and this time Mills doesn’t push him away.

Finally they arrive on to the fated Monday when Mills’ suspension gets removed on account of lacking personnel. Somerset doesn’t pretend to be happy about this. David is usually disconnected and lost, slower than he was previously. But when he takes his time, he can manage to solve crimes just the same. The dissatisfaction about returning him to the grounds that broke him… It was very much there.

Every morning from there on starts the same. He wakes up every damn morning looking at the younger man sleep, worry stirring within. What will happen today? Will he be okay? Won’t the job wear on him? Sure, they quarrel over insignificant things, but it doesn’t stop him from worrying.

They leave together. At this point the men at work have caught on to what was happening, at least to some extent. But William doesn’t care and David’s too apathetic at this point to be affected by their jabs. Mills has just dealt with it; his one constant now is a man that he knew for a week before his life was destroyed.

Funny how life works out like that.


End file.
